A Journey of Passion Ch. 06

She paced and hugged herself as she tried to calm the nerves threatening to take over inside her. Gabriela looked around her apartment for maybe the hundredth time to be sure things were in order. This was it.

Seth was on his way home at last. They were meeting the next day for the first time. He'd made reservations for her to fly out to the hotel where they'd be staying. She'd soon be touching her man, the love of her life.

Her mind drifted as it often did to how the two of them got together. During a weak moment she'd let her daughter Nicole talk her into placing an ad with a dating service. Of all people, one of Seth's employees saw hers and pointed it out to him. How he knew from looking at her profile and picture that she and Seth would fall for each other was an unexplained stroke of luck. Erik Corlett was also a good friend of Seth's, so maybe that explained it.

The ringing of the telephone interrupted her thoughts. "Hello."

"Hey baby."

"Seth, oh my god, where are you?"

"I have a couple hours before the next flight leaves so I had to call you. My brain is telling me tomorrow at this time I'll be holding you but I feel as if it's still a dream."

Gabriela didn't even react to the fact he didn't answer her question. She'd become so used to it over the months he was in the hospital. In his position, he'd had to be careful what he said. Someday he'd explain what he could to her, she knew.

"This is what we've been waiting for, baby. All those days and weeks brought us to here. I'm so excited I can't stop grinning."

"Oh Seth, I am too. I'm not even sure I know what's in my suitcases since I was so distracted."

"What do you need luggage for? I don't plan on letting you get dressed," he said and chuckled.

"Did I say anything about clothes? There are handcuffs, feathers, whips, vibrators, lotions ..."

She heard the way he took a deep breath and slowly let it out as a hissing sound. "You are so sexy."

"I love you baby. I'll do anything for you and don't forget that."

"Gabriela, honey, I'm sitting here rock hard, trembling for you. I'm going to take you tomorrow until you can't move."

She felt the tears trickle down her cheeks at the pure longing in her for this man. Hours of talking on the computer taught them so much about each other and she loved him with everything in her.

"You can do that, love, but me first. I'm going to make sure you know the feel of my mouth on every part of your body."

"Gabriela, I'm yours and you can do whatever you want with me."

Seth gripped the phone tighter as he tried to calm his throbbing body. She got to him in ways no one ever had. Maybe that should have scared him but it didn't. Instead, he embraced it and offered her more of himself. He knew the time he'd been dependent in the hospital made him reevaluate his life. That Gabriela stuck with him throughout it proved she had an inner strength beyond that what she realized.

He listened while she teased him about what she might or might not be wearing when they met. His imagination went crazy as it always did with her and he shifted in his seat. All he wanted now was to hold her in his arms.

"Are you falling asleep?"

"Sorry baby, I was dreaming about tomorrow I guess. It's all I think about. You have all the information with you, right?"

"Seth, don't be sorry. Do you know how hard it's been for me this week?"

"I know. Maybe we should have waited longer. Then you wouldn't have to hide anything," he said.

"Stop that, Seth. I'm not hiding anything. What I do is my business and I don't owe anyone an explanation. Besides, I don't share my love life with others."

"I wasn't aware you had a love life."

She decided to ignore the slight accusatory tone and went on. "Oh yeah, didn't I tell you? There's this guy I met, really sexy, amazing body, brown eyes and turns me on like mad. I swear he's got to be the best lover in the world."

"Great, I'm glad you're happy."

"Yes, he's wonderful. In my eyes he's the most fantastic man in the world, along with being sensitive to my feelings and dreams."

"Nice."

Gabriela chuckled at the way he said the one word. He had to know she was describing him but he still had a tiny seed of doubt that she'd been happy waiting for him.

"Oh, it's more than nice, baby. He makes me feel special. When I'm with him, there is nothing else in the world. I know that I can go to him with anything and he won't judge me. No matter what I ask for in bed, he's willing to try. He brings light to my days and joy to my life."

Seth didn't reply so she went on. "This man is the one I want to be with, if he'll have me. I'm still a bit nervous about that. He's so smart and important that he might not be happy with me."

"He knows what's most important in his life."

"I love you, Seth."

"Baby, I love you too. Damn, I need to hold you. This will be the longest night of my life, I swear."

They both laughed about that since they'd once mentioned how they'd be too nervous to sleep the night before they met. Gabriela knew she wouldn't be able to close her eyes at all. Images and fantasies of Seth filled her head until there wasn't room for anything else.

Soon it was time for Seth to go.

"I have to board the plane, honey. The next time we talk will be tomorrow, at the hotel. Oh god, the thought is making me ..."

"Me too, baby, me too. Go catch your flight. I love you Seth."

"Oh honey, I love you so much."

She heard the soft click as he hung up and let the tears spill. Hours that would feel like days was all that stood between them now. Somehow over the last months he'd become her life. Without him, she had nothing. Gabriela straightened her apartment then lost herself in memories and dreams until she had to leave for the airport the next morning. She'd sleep another time.

****

Seth hung up the phone and looked around the hotel room he sat in. Gabriela thought he was in between flights on his way to the hotel they were meeting at the next day. He smiled when he thought about the surprise he had in store for her.

After a quick shower, he was ready to relax for the evening. Seth slid between the sheets of the king sized bed and longed for Gabriela to be there with him. He tried to put words to his feelings but never quite found the right ones. With her, he was so many things new to him yet he didn't regret one. They were bound together forever with a deep love and respect for each other that was unique and rare. He knew that and would cherish it always.

Gabriela saved him. It was as simple as that. Her constant presence on the computer gave him a focus other than his pain. She became his crutch when he needed one most. However, he knew that wasn't the basis for their relationship. He loved her, not for what she did but for who she was. He intended to spend the rest of his life proving that.

****

Gabriela paid the taxi driver and grabbed her bag. Long lines formed everywhere inside the airport she looked. A sigh escaped her lips at just the idea of joining the throngs of people there. Gabriela took a decisive step toward her gate but made an abrupt stop when she heard her name over the intercom. The impassioned voice gave a few brief instructions before the standard recording resumed.

A glance at the overhead signs soon brought her to the requested area where she gave her name to a young man behind the counter. She waited as he checked the computer to see why they'd summoned her.

"Ma'am? There appears to be some sort of problem with your ticket."

Gabriela wanted the world to stop all the nonsense and give her a break. This was almost too much after everything else in the past year.

"Define a problem for me."

"It doesn't really say ..."

Jason, as the employee badge identified him, resumed his search without finishing. Gabriela closed her eyes and blocked out the chaos around her for a moment while she waited.

"It looks like your ticket isn't any good."

"How can that be? I paid for it myself." Gabriela felt the tension in her neck and tried to relax. Mistakes happened and they'd fix it, she reminded herself.

"I'm sorry, it doesn't tell me that. You can purchase an—"

"Jason, I'm not going to buy a new ticket. I have one right here that I bought already. Now you find someone that can answer all the questions I have or start looking harder for them yourself."

It wouldn't do any good to lose her patience, she told herself as she listened to Jason a minute later. Her assumption he was talking to a supervisor of some sort proved correct.

"Mr. Kosten will be right over to assist you. He's my boss. If you'd like to take a seat —"

"I'll wait right here, thank you."

Gabriela wasn't pleased with her rudeness but the young man's attitude caught her wrong. Months of worrying had all ended. This trip was to be her beginning. Yet here she stood stuck in the middle.

"Excuse me, miss. I'm John Kosten. Jason mentioned you had a tiny problem here."

Gabriela took in the pristine airline uniform of the older man walking behind the desk. He had an authoritative quality about him that reassured her somewhat. "In about an hour, I'm supposed to be on one of those planes out there. I'd like an explanation of why the ticket I confirmed this morning is now no good."

Jason stepped aside as his boss glanced at the ticket Gabriela handed him. "Here's the mix-up."

She waited for him to continue but he didn't seem inclined to go on. "Mr. Kosten, I need to be on that plane when it leaves in a little while."

"I'm afraid that isn't possible."

"My entire life is waiting for me ahead. Destiny picked the most amazing man in the world to love me. He's everything to me and he's going to be at the other end waiting for me to walk off that airplane tonight. We've waited months for him to be well enough to come home from overseas. Please, get me on that plane so we can be together."

"You're the amazing one, baby," Seth said from behind her.

Gabriela spun around to look into the face of the man she loved with all her heart. She cried out his name and flew into his opened arms. He held her close as the tears ran down her cheeks. Seth gave her a brief kiss before leaning back.

"Seth? How ... I thought you ... what ...?"

"Did you really think I was going to sit in that hotel room and wait? I couldn't do that," he said as he gazed into her eyes. "You're so beautiful."

Her heart thudded as she tried to form a coherent thought.

"Let's go, Gabriela."

He took her hand and led her to a small gate where the guards nodded for them to go through. They walked the short distance to a waiting private jet. Gabriela didn't question any of it. She was with Seth and nothing else mattered. Her brain ceased to function the moment she realized it wasn't a dream.

Gabriela gasped at the elegant interior in the small plane. Exotic wood cabinets, expensive leather seating, lush carpeting and gilded ceilings completed the main section.

Seth nodded to the young man standing off to the side and grinned. "Can you see why I was in a hurry to get here now?" he asked.

"Sir, if I had known she was the reason you wanted us to forgo procedures, we would have had you here hours ago."

"Honey, this is Kyle. Anything you need, he'll get it for you."

"It's nice to meet you, Kyle. I think I have everything right here, though."

Gabriela leaned back into the hard chest of the man she loved and chuckled. Seth wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her neck.

"You might have to hold off on that, Sir. The pilot will insist you're strapped in for take-off." Kyle's teasing tone brought a smile from the couple as they parted and took their seats.

Seth held Gabriela's hand as they waited for the plane to taxi down the runway. She struggled to comprehend that she was really with him, yet.

"I can't believe we're together."

"It's surreal, baby. All those months, imagining and waiting, and now at last it's happening."

With the plane in the air, they unhooked their seatbelts. Seth stood and pulled Gabriela to her feet. "I don't want our first time to be with others around us. But I need to hold you, Gabriela."

A master bedroom with a queen-size bed filled the end of the plane. He flipped a switch and soft jazz came from the hidden speakers.

"I dreamt of this moment so many times. Words are beyond me right now, Gabriela."

"Oh Seth, you don't need words. This, coming for me, this tells me so much."

His hands trembled as he pulled her down on the satin comforter with him. Seth embraced the love of his life and felt the tears gathering in his eyes. He was a macho tough guy and yet he was crying.

"Look what you do to me," he whispered.

One slender finger brushed his cheek. The sun began to set as the plane made its way to their destination. Neither paid any attention. All that mattered to either one was right in their arms.

****

A chauffeur stood waiting for them as they disembarked the plane and whisked them away in a gleaming limousine. Seth never let her go the entire time. His big hands caressed her body as he held her close in the privacy of the back seat. They spoke little but heard so much from the depths of each other's eyes. A soft knock on the door alerted them to the fact they'd arrived.

The hotel could have been a dump for all Gabriela knew. Seth dashed to the wall of elevators pulling her right with him. They laughed as they ran across the carpeted hall to their room. Strong arms engulfed her almost before the door closed behind them.

"I need you, right now," Seth murmured against her ear. "I hope I won't be too rough the first time, but my god, you make me burn."

A slight shove in the middle of his chest was her only reply. "Sit down, Seth."

He never questioned her, only followed her brief command. Seth backed up until he felt the bed behind him and sank onto the pale yellow spread. Entranced, he watched as she did in person what he'd only imagined before. A deep growl escaped his throat when the last piece of clothing slipped off her body. His Gabriela was at last naked in front of him.

"I've pictured this moment, tried to think of a way to make it perfect, and hoped —"

"Come here, Gabriela."

This time she was the one to obey. His fingers traced her nipples before brushing over her mound.

"Seth, please, make me yours."

He spent the next several hours doing just that.